Japan-Thailand

The Japanese and Thai governments started exploring a possible bilateral FTA in 2001-2002, but official negotiations didn’t start until February 2004. They concluded their talks in April 2007 and the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) came into force on 1 November 2007.

It was strongly opposed by social movements both in Thailand and Japan. Thai groups mobilised against the FTA’s provisions on patenting life forms, toxic wastes and investment. One special concern was that the Japanese would take advantage of the deal not to ship Thai healthworkers to Japan (as under Japan’s FTAs with the Philippines and Indonesia) but to operate an exclusive health facility in Thailand, for Japanese people, who would be flown in to avail of the best medical personnel Thailand has to offer — who would then be unavailable to treat poorer Thai citizens. A major row also erupted around the legalities of Thailand’s interim military regime pushing through the ratification and entry into force of the deal during their hold on the country after the September 2006 coup. Japanese groups mobilised particularly on the potential of the deal to increase Japan’s exports of toxic waste to Thailand.

The Thailand Restaurant Association (TRA) warns that foreign food chains are posing a greater threat to Thai restaurant operators amid government indifference and failure to promote the local industry.

Thailand should produce about 700,000 skilled labourers to serve the investment influx from Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises after the ongoing revision in the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (Jtepa).

The government should set up an agency to follow up the implementation of the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) in order to make it more effective, says the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).

The Asean-Japan Free-Trade Agreement will take effect for Thailand early next month, and the Kingdom will see enhanced benefits on top of its own bilateral trade pact, a senior commercial officer said yesterday.

Thai Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram insisted the Thailand-Japan free trade agreement, signed by the Surayud administration, is in line with the 2007 constitution and it is not necessary for it to be endorsed by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).

The Thai and Japanese governments yesterday ironed out the last details before the free trade agreement takes effect on November 1. FTA Watch member Jacquechai Chomthongdi said the activist group would bring the case to the Constitutional Court as the new Thai constitution requires transparent consideration of all international treaties, including the trade deal signed with Japan.

25-Feb-2015Financial Express

Prof Brook K Baker, Professor of Law and Northeastern University, cautions that the Modi government’s accelerating flirtation with the US and its investors is dangerous to hundreds of millions of people worldwide whose lives depend on Indian generics

20-Feb-2015Electronic Intifada

Two members of the US Congress have introduced a bill that would turn a giant trade deal between the EU and US into a devastating weapon against the people of Palestine and all those seeking justice alongside them.

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